Hypodermic syringe



Nov. 16, 192e. 1,607271 A. SMITH HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OriginalFiled May 18, 1.925:A

` gjm/vento@ ARTHUR E. SWHTH,

Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR ERVIN SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORITI.

HYPODERMIC SYRIN GE.

Application led May 18, 1925, Serial No. 31,029. Renewed September 23, 1926.

` This invention relates to. hypodermic syringes and it has for its object to provide a device of this character into which a me dicinal package of the nature of an ampule may be charged, after the manner of loading a gun, the several parts being so correlated and arranged that a freshly made medicinal preparation may be 'injected by the syringe Without ever coming into contact 'witl1 human hands, unsterilized receptacles or with ythe atmosphere.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a syringe of the character indicated adapted to form the necessary fluid .tlght joint between the ampules and the syringe, with facility and dispatch and'with very littletrouble upon the part of the user.

Further objects of the invention and re- `finement-s' of construction will be pointed out in the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional.

view of a syringe constructed in Iaccordance with the invention. p

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the syringe upon a smaller scale.

Figure 3 is a magnified sectional view of the lower portion of the syringe, illustrating an elastic packing cone, and a discharge tube hereinafter described.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view upon line 4 4 of Figure 2.

F'gure 5 is a plan View of the structure illustrated in Figure 3, upon a smaller scale,

and

Figure 6 is a 'Side View of the ampule, hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

l 40 The syringe of the'present'invention is particularly designed to discharge the contents of the ampule shown in Figure '6. This ampule comprises a glass body 5,' having a tapered'front end 6, which terminates in a breakable tip 7 This tip is rendered readily separable from the remainder of the ampule by scoring, notching, etching, or otherwise weakening it as indicated at 8. The ampule contains a rubber or other stopper 9 which is adapted to act as a piston to expel the contents of the ampule through the open tapered end 6 of the ampule, after it has been broken therefrom, as hereinafter described. I preferably close the rear end u of the ampule indicated at 10 and weaken it by a scored or cut line, at 11, so that this rear end may be. readily broken therefrom. Thus this closed rear end protects the stopper and maintains the Whole in absolutely sterile condition until the' time of use arrives.

Certain medicinal compounds, and par# ticularly certain anesthetics are unstable in solution, and this disintegration or chemical change may produce deleterious effects upon the patient if such a solution was injected. Such medicinal vcompounds should be fresh ly prepared at the ,time of use. In the pres ent case the constituent elements of themedi cinal preparation in theampules, are maind tained separate from the vehicle until the time of use arrives. For example, the body of liquid indicated at 12, ,in the ampule, may be distilled water, and an anesthetic or other medicinal preparation' in the form of tablets or powder may be contained Within a paraffin or other Waterproof capsule 14, which v is fusible or meltable under a comparatively low degree of heat. Thus when the time of use arrives, by placing the ampule into warm water and increasin the temperature or holding it under runnmghot water, the paraiiin or low fusible wall may be melted and the medicinal ingredients permitted tomiX with the distilled Water or other Vehicle. By holding the' ampule in a vertical vposition with its large end upward, the released paraflin will travel upward, due to its specific gravity, and find a seating in the concave face 9a of the stopper 9,- so that it will thereafter constitute, in effect, a part of the piston in ej ecting the medicinal preparation through the open end of the ampule.

When the parafiin rises it is still hot and in molten condition. After it has entered and seated itself in the concave face of the stopper, it is congealed and hardened, in contact therewith, by placing the ampule in cold water or holding it with large end upward under running cold water.

The syringe comprises a. barrel 15- having a bayonet joint connection with a head 15a, the latter carrying a cross bar 16, for engagement by the fingers of the operator, the palm of whose hand engages a handle or cross bar 17 upon the upper end of a plunger rod 18. Thisv plunger rod carries a plunger 19 at its inner end which is adapted to engage the stopper 9 and force said stopper downwardly to expel the liquid 12 from the ampule. The plunger rod 18 is surrounded by a spring 20, the upper end of which bears against a cap 21 having a bayonet joint connection 22-with thehead 15* and the lower end of which bears against the flange 23'of a sliding sleeve 24. Thus the sleeve and the ment 29.

ilange constitute va yieldable pressure eX- erting element, adapted to bear upon the vrear or upper end of the ampule along the broken ofi'l line 11, to thereby force the nose of the ampule intov engagement. with asuitable packing element, preliminary to the operationA of lhandle 17.

The vbarrel is internally threaded at 25 for the reception of ahead 26'. This head is provided with a conical chamber 27 and this chamber in turn receives a thin,

metal funnel 28, which constitutes a seating for "a conical rubber packing ele- The hypodermic needle 30 is provided with an enlarged portion 31 'which lies between the lower `end of the metallic cones 28 and a tip 32, the latter being threaded at 33 into engagementwith the lower end of the headl 26,. The upper end i 'of the enlarged portion 31 of the needle bears against ,and is seated in the concave bottom of the metallic funnel 28. The rubber conc 29 is provided with a convex up# per face and hasl a central tapering depres` sionformed in said upper face which receives the lower end of the ampule after -the tip has been broken olf. The upper portion of the needle, indicated at 30a, passes through the rubber cone, and extends upwardly through thel conical recess 34 of the cone. The upper endI vof the needle is preferably closed as indicated at 35 in Fig-y ure 3 and it is provided with a plurality of lateral openings 36 to permit the passage of liquid from the ampule to thev interior ofthe needle. lThe closing of the upper end of the needle in, the manner described, is to obviate the possibility of theneedle becoming accidentally clogged bythe parallin.

.lVhen the head 26 is screwed into place it compresses the rubber cone 29 against a ring 37,' which is secured in the lower end of the barrel 15 and which is provided with a beveled face 38. The conical 4shape of the recess 27 in conjunction with the pressure exerted by the ring 37 causes an inward compression ofthe cone 29 about Athe portion l30a of 'the needle, While the forcing of the broken tapered end of the ampule into the recess 34 of the cone 29 brings about an outward ,compression of the upper portionv of said cone. Thus a fluid tight joint is provided between the cone and the needle, between the ampule and the cone and between the cone and the.ring

37, which absolutely insures against any leakage of the contents of the ampule. The head 15n carries an elongated sleeve'15b,

`which is adapted to slide downwardly with- 1n the barrel 15, and the sleeve 15b and barrel 15 are provided with sight openings .15

4through which the contents of the ampule and lthe movement of the plunger and stopper 9 may be viewed. Furthermore, the

one to four cubic centimeters ncapacity, orl

any fractions thereof, and it is clear from the construction illustrated and described that the yielding sleeve 24`wi5ll serve to preliminarily establish a fluid tight joint between the needle and the ampule, irrespec.

tive of the length of the ampule (within certain limits) and thus rendervit possible for the physician or surgeon to-use a single syringe, to handle a numberl of varying-sizes of ampules.

lVli'ile l have stated that I preliminarily weaken the amp ule at thepoints to be broken olf, it is to be understood that.'this fisno't 'absolutely essential, since the physician lmay accomplish this result by suitably nicki'ng" or notching the ampule with a smallfile, at the time of use. A

, It is thought thatthe operation offthis i device will be apparent without furtherdescription. However, it may briefly. be stated that in use, the operator separates the barrel 15,' from sleeve l5", by disengaging thebayonet connections.

j He then selects theproper size ampule and lafter heating and cooling it as previously described, breaks. 2

ofi' theV tip,` and the rear end, andplaces this ampule in the barrel 1 6 with its broken off, smaller end, seated in the recess 34. Th'e parts arel magnified above normal in Figure. 1 and the opening that is left in the end of the ampule after its tip is broken off-is so small that the liquid does not run out offthis opening until pressure is. ap

plied thereto by the forcing of the corky downwardly into the ampule. After the ampule has been seatedin Contact with the cone 29, as described, the sleeve-15b is slipped downwardly within" the barrel '15 and about the ampule and the Abayonet connectionr of head 15i is made, to.. join said head and1 sleeve'. This bringsithe sleeve 24 and its flange 23 to bear with yielding pressure upon the upperl end of the ampule and forces the nose of the ampule into'contact with the cone l29. When pressure is applied to the handle 17; to force the plunger downwardly, said plunger contacts with the stopper and exerts pressure upon the liquid within the ampule. This pressure upon setfforth but that' itiiicliides within its pui'f .vi'ewfwliatever changes' fairly come withiny the', in turiiteli'ds. to gfoicetheampiile enti'yjffof .theneedlethroughthe cone 2 9,. :.`t lie lower/end of the cone conforming in J-shapefto' the lower end l'of the-funnel."

1` isto bei understoodfthat the invention i s- ;no t 'limited to the precisejeonstruction in 'which the enlargedmemberof the needle .has fa seating, that portion of the needle either thev teriiisf Q'r- :theespirit of the apipendedclaiins.`

I' Igclaini is:

'-.Syiinge 'of the character described comprisingJ-A-a barrel having a compressible packingele'fment .fat-v the` ,lower end thereof ampule, a' sleeveV adapted to. havesliding adapted to make fluid'tigl'it contact with an engagementwith'said barrel, a' detachable 2,.;A- 'yringe .of the '--cliaracter Ycomprising a barrel-.having a coinpressible 30;

adapted--to makel fluid tight contact with the packing: element; at Ithe, lower end thereof small vbroken-e i i d o f'jan empale, a sleeve -adapted' Vto Vhave sliding :engagement with said barrel, a'. detachable connection between iiiplunger rod operatin g' 'in the sleeve, a pres- [,sure member surrounding theplunger rod vand longitudinally movable within said bearing'between said'capv and S'aid pressure `3. I Iiadevice ofthe character described,

the combination. with a barrel, of a compres'sible'paking member at thelower end thereof adapted t'o make contact with an end lof anainpiile, a cap within which said packneedle above said' enlarged *portionv which- .i :thecoinbination' with a 'b.rrel ofxa j cap .threaded into the' lower endftheieof and hav-y ing a conical recess formed-therein', a thin metallicfuni'iel-like inembeiseat'e'df in said recess', .a con'ipressible', packingfzelement in.v

in 'the' lupper fac-e thereof.

said funnel, `a 'removable ftip threaded into the cap ,and `a hypoderinic -needle having an enlarged portioniintermediate its ends' and' through lwhicli'the outer portion' of thence- Having thu'svdesc'ribed my invention, what.

dle passes, said tip engaging the enlarged port-ionoftheneedle and forcing it against the lower end of-the funnel-like member.l

. '5;' A structurer as-re'cited inclaiin 4 wherein' said funnel-like member is provided with al lconcave lower Vend vwithin which the enlai'gedpoi'tion of the needle'h-as a seating;

6.- A structure as recited in claim 4 wherein the lowei' portionfof the funnel-like niember has aconcave recess-formed therein withabove.v the enlarged portion projecting through `the Vcompressible packing element and terminating slightly above the upper surface thereof.

7. lA structure asr recited in claimt wherein said needle has a closed upper v end and lateral openings below lsaid upper. end.l

8. A syringe of the character described, comprising a barrel having'an internally threaded lower end. ahead threaded into engagement therewith, a ring wit in the barrel adjacent' its lower end,` a pack ng elcment having a convex upper face and conn cally recessed lower .and 'upper end portions,

seated in said head, a. tip threaded into the described lower end of said head, a hypodermic needle having an"enlargedrportion forced against,- y

the' concave' .1ower face of the packing element by said tip when the latter is screwed into position, -saidn ackiner element .being forced into engagement'with said ring when' y vthe lieadis .screwed into position and said needlecoinprising-a portion above said enlarged portion thereof which projects up- Y wardly' through Vthe packing element and terminatesslightly above the upper face of the said packing element.

"9. A syringe of the character described,

comprising abarrel, a sleeve slidable in said barrel, a spring actuated pressure element movable in saidv sleeve, a ring in the barrel adjacent' the .lower .end thereof-having .a beveled lower face, 'a cap` having vscrew threaded engagement with the lower end of 'the barrel, a tip having threaded engagementwith ythe lower end of the cap, said cap having a conical interior, "a metallic funnellike elen'i'ent-seatedzin said cap, a conical riibber packing element seated in said funnellike member having a concave'lower face, said packing element having a conical 4recess formed in itsiippe'r face, a hypodermic needle' having an .'enlargedportion which lies between the tip and the lower endl ofl the funnel-likeelement, the outer portion of said needle projecting through'the packing element and'into the conical recess formed signature Aiiiiriun ERVIN SMITH. 

